Benfica up against it

The Champions League returns this week and we have a meeting between Benfica and Liverpool. This is the first leg of the quarter final and the match will be played at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon, giving Benfica home advantage for the first leg.

Benfica come into the match having suffered a 3-2 defeat away to Sporting Braga in the Portuguese Primeira on the weekend. Benfica are undefeated in their four most recent Champions League fixtures. They have won two of those four matches, with the wins coming at home against Dinamo Kyiv and away to Ajax

Benfica are undefeated in their last five home matches in all competitions. They have lost only one of their last eight home Champions League games and have scored two or more goals in seven of those eight fixtures.

Liverpool make the trip to the Estádio da Luz on the back of a 2-0 home victory over Watford in the Premier League. That result means Liverpool are undefeated in their last four matches in all competitions, winning each of those four games.

However, their most recent defeat came at home in the Champions League against Inter Milan but the 1-0 loss was not enough to overturn their lead from the first leg in Italy.

Liverpool are currently on a run of seven wins away from home in all competitions. Their form in the Champions League shows seven wins from their eight most recent games.

Benfica up against it

Liverpool have won each of their last four on the road in the Champions League and have scored two or more goals in those four victories.

Benfica are without the injured duo of Lucas Verissimo and Rodrigo Pinho. Adel Taarabt is a doubt having missed the match at Sporting Braga on the weekend due to injury.

Liverpool travel with doubts over the fitness of Curtis Jones and Naby Keita. Joel Matip suffered a head injury on the weekend but should be fine to start this game and Trent Alexander-Arnold is expected to return to the team.